At that moment Abigail's heart sank slightly, masked under her triumphant expression. It wasn't satisfying. It wasn't enough. She wanted Cora to try. She wanted to beat her in front of everyone. That was the whole point of the show. But Cora… Cora had done nothing. She didn't compete, she didn't react, and that unsettled Abigail deeply.
However Cora, on the other hand, had just raised her eyes. It was as if the subtle heat of Abigail's gaze had finally touched her skin. Then her eyes met Abigail's, and the tension became thick. She had noticed it earlier, both Victoria and Abigail whispering and looking at her ever since she walked into the room. It wasn't paranoia. It was real. The stares, the forced smiles, the mocking gestures they had been tracking her every move from the beginning.
She blinked slowly, then turned away, not out of fear or shyness, but out of disinterest.
